Chapter 30. Deadly Switch

Zayn stared at the closed door and shook his head. He wouldn’t lie to himself—he clearly heard what Lucien said earlier, something about being hit after eating. It echoed in his head, soft but piercing. Why had he said that?

For some reason, Zayn couldn’t bring himself to punish him anymore. His frown deepened. What is wrong with me? he thought.

He returned to his desk and threw himself into his work. Minutes turned to hours. Paperwork, contracts, schedules—all of it drowned his mind. When he finally looked at the time, it was past midnight.

Zayn rubbed the back of his neck and stood up. His body ached from sitting too long. He rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, letting out a long sigh before grabbing his jacket from the back of the chair. He put it on as he stepped out of the study, locking the door behind him.

The hallway was silent. The house was asleep.

As he walked down the corridor, a faint sound caught his attention. He paused, head tilte